


Going Nowhere

by IrelandinIrish



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Accidents, Big Brothers, Family Feels, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 13:32:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9899363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrelandinIrish/pseuds/IrelandinIrish
Summary: Aaron's in prison. Robert and Liv only have each other now. So how would the blonde react when the girl he cares so much about is involved in an accident?





	

**Author's Note:**

> OMG A Rob&Liv hug. That episode killed me, I'm writing this from beyond the grave. But no seriously the scene where Robert and Liv hugged and he told her nobody else was going anywhere got me thinking...so here we goooooo.

2 months. 2 months into Aaron's sentence and it felt like a lifetime.

Robert was hunched over his laptop, forearms resting on the bar as he squinted at the screen. The man pulled at his tie until it slid away from his neck, coming off in his hand. He proceeded to ball it up, taking out his frustration on the material as he cursed under his breath.

"Am I right to assume the appeal isn't going too well?" Chas hummed, placing a pint on the mat beside him

"Everything I throw at them they have a comeback for" Robert grumbled, curling his fingers round the glass "I've let him down"

His Mother-in-law reached out and rested her hand on his arm "Don't be daft" she spoke softly "He knows you're doing all you can."

The blonde took a long sip of his drink, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and frowning as he noticed Victoria slide onto the stool beside him.

"No luck?" she asked sympathetically, pulling off her hat so that a few brown tendrills escaped from the messy bun atop her head.  
"I'm starting to think I'll have more luck going in there face to face, try and talk some sense into them."

Robert shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as he let out a shuddered breath.

The door swung open, and Adam trudged in. He looked exhausted as he pulled up a stool beside Vic and pressed a kiss to her temple. Robert felt guilty, he knew he had promised to pull his weight at the scrapyard, but his determination to sort the appeal for Aaron had consumed his time.

"The McLaren deal went off without any problems" Adam told the man, snapping him out of his daze as he dropped some change into Chas' hand in exchange for a pint.  
"Nice one" Robert nodded, scratching the back of his neck "I'll be up there tomorrow, I'll give you a hand, I'm sorry I've been a bit useless lately."

The blonde bowed his head, looking up when he felt his sister nudge him "Don't be soft" she told him quietly "It's not like you're laying about doing sod all."  
"Yeah" Adam agreed, licking the foam from his upper lip "I don't need you running yourself ragged up at the yard mate, Liv needs ya."

Robert nodded gratefully and checked his watch, the teen should've been home from school by now. He fought the growing worry building in his stomach, dismissing it in favour of the idea she'd simply got distracted somewhere with Gabby.

He put a hand on the lid of his laptop, closing it just as his mobile began to ring, vibrating on the surface of the bar. He frowned as  _Unknown_ filled the screen, but nonetheless lifted the phone to his ear, hitting answer in the process.

"Hello?"

_"Hello is that Mr Sugden?"_

Robert's eyebrows furrowed at the unfamiliar voice, and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes at what had to be a cold caller.

"Yes this is Mr Sugden, but let me stop you there. I don't need double glazing, or life insurance, or solar panels. I'm happy with my internet provider and my mobile service so I'm sorry but you're wasting your time."

He shook his head at the three sat watching him at the bar, and Adam smirked, mouthing 'muppet' at his brother-in-law.

_"I'm sorry Mr Sugden...I'm actually calling from Hotten General. This is the number we were instructed to ring, I'm afraid your sister has been involved in an accident."_

Robert's jaw dropped slightly, his mouth going dry as he stared at Victoria who was sat bold as brass in front of him.

"I don't think you-" he trailed off, his heart hammering against his ribcage as he realised who the nurse was talking about.

_"Mr Sugden? Mr Sugden are you there?"_

"I'm here" he rasped out, reaching out to clutch the edge of the bar to steady himself "It's Liv...Isn't it?"

_"Olivia Flaherty was brought in a few minutes ago, and you're listed as an emergency contact...You are her brother aren't you?"_

"Yes" Robert blurted "Well, brother-in-law...I'm her guardian..one of them at least" he explained hastily "What happened?"

_"I'm sorry Mr Sugden we can't discuss patient information over the phone, I can tell you more when you get to the hospital."_

With that the phone went dead, and Robert had to hold it tightly to keep it from slipping through his fingers.

"Bro?" Victoria called to him gently "Are you alright? What was that about?"  
"What's Liv done now?" Chas questioned, raising an eyebrow though she had visibly paled.

Robert unhooked his jacket from the back of his stool and shrugged it on, reaching out for his keys with a shaking hand "She's been in an accident" he murmured, lifting his head to make eye contact with them all "That was the hospital."

"You're joking" Adam held his hands behind his head, fingers interlinked "Well is she alright?"  
"I-I don't know" Robert stammered "They said they couldn't tell me anything over the phone."

Chas was out from behind the bar in an instant, gathering her shocked son-in-law into her arms in a hug. He stood there, stunned, every worst case scenario racing through his mind. And then, Aaron...Someone had to tell Aaron.

"Aaron" he croaked out "I need to-"  
"-I'll call the prison" Chas soothed, rubbing his arm "You just go to your little girl alright?"

Robert nodded, swallowing hard though his throat felt like it was coated in jagged glass "I'll let you know what's happening" he promised, running a hand through his hair.

Adam appeared beside the man and gently prised the keys from his fingers "I'm driving you mate" he insisted softly "It's alright, I've only had one."

Robert opened his mouth to argue, declare he was fine, but ultimately he knew he couldn't drive like this. With one last squeeze from Chas, he followed Adam from the pub, stumbling as he walked.

* * *

Adam barely had time to park the car before Robert was out and running across the car-park. During the journey he'd had time to compose himself, determined to be there for Liv, and for Aaron too - knowing that it would kill the man to know his sister was hurt while he was locked away.

The blonde skidded up to the reception desk breathing heavily, fingers drumming on the counter as he waited impatiently for the nurse to finish her phonecall.

"Mr Sugden?" she offered, turning in her chair to face him once the phone was back in its holder.  
"How did you-"  
"-Olivia's phone background, you and your husband on your wedding day I believe?"

Robert narrowed his eyes but nodded slowly, fingers toying with his jaw "Where is she? What happened?" he demanded, looking around him as if the teen would suddenly appear.

Instead, Adam did. Mildly out of breath as he fumbled with his wallet, coming to a halt beside the blonde.  
"What's going on then?" he questioned, glancing over at the nurse who had gotten to her feet.

"If everyone could just calm down, I can explain everything in one go" she quirked an eyebrow at the pair before wandering over to the elevator.

Robert was close behind her, Adam trailing after them as the nurse turned to them both.

"Liv was hit by a car on the school road" Robert took a sharp breath in, digging his nails into his palms as she continued "Luckily the car didn't build up much speed so the injuries are minimal, just a lot of bruising, a few cuts and a great deal of shock."

The three stepped out of the elevator and into the children's ward. The bright rainbow of colours felt like an assault on the eyes as the nurse led the way down the corridor before coming to a halt outside one room on her left.

Robert turned to her "You mean?-"

The nurse smiled and opened the door, and Robert let out a strangled laugh of relief. Liv was sat on the edge of the bed, head bowed as she wrung her hands in her lap. At the sound of people entering, she looked up hopefully and a smile broke out on her face at the sight of Robert.

"I'll leave you to it, I'll just grab your release forms" the nurse chuckled, stepping back out of the room and shutting the door after her.

Robert had barely taken a step forward before Liv had launched herself off the bed and into his arms, squeezing him tightly round the middle as he staggered back several paces. The man let out a shuddered breath, resting one hand on her back and one on her head as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"I'll ring Chas, let her know this one's okay" Adam winked at Liv who grinned back over Robert's shoulder.

The blonde waited till the other man had stepped out before he pulled away from the teen, holding her by the shoulders to study her.

"You scared the shit out of me" he breathed, cupping her face as he brushed his thumb over the stitches on her forehead.

"I'm sorry" the girl replied softly "I'm alright though Rob, I'm okay" she assured him with a small smile that made the man pull her into him once again.

He screwed his eyes shut and held her just that little bit tighter, reassuring himself that the teen was okay "I can't lose you, not you too" he mumbled into her hair as Liv tangled her fingers in his jacket in fear he may leave her.

"What happened to 'no-one else is going anywhere'? It's gonna take more than a car for you to get rid of me" she teased him, pulling away and settling back onto the bed "Does Aaron know I'm here?" she questioned.

Robert nodded, dropping down beside her and instinctively wrapping an arm round her, pulling her protectively into his side. "Chas said she would call the prison, I should have told him myself but...I didn't know what had happened to you and-"

Liv nudged him to shut him up, eyes glistening with tears "It's okay Rob, you don't have to justify yourself, Aaron won't care who tells him and you know he'd rather you were here with me anyway...right?"

The blonde smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear "You sound more like him everyday" he told her softly  
"There are worse people to sound like" she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder just as the nurse re-entered.

The woman handed Robert a clipboard before turning to Liv and ruffling her hair "You look after yourself now missy" she instructed with a smirk "Just hand the forms in at reception on your way out?" she requested, to which Robert nodded, thanking her as she left them alone once more.

As the blonde set about ticking boxes and signing dotted lines, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Distractedly, he answered it, twirling the pen in the fingers of his other hand.

"Hello?" he asked tiredly

**"Robert? Robert what the hell is going on?"**

The blonde straightened up, letting the pen fall from his fingers as the clipboard slid onto the mattress "Aaron?"

Liv sucked in a breath and turned to the man beside her, eyes wide and eager as she thought of her brother at the other end of the line.

**"Why the hell is my Mum ringing the prison about Liv being in an accident? What happened?"**

"She was hit by a car" Robert sighed, not even attempting to calm his husband, knowing full well he'd be unsuccessful if he tried.

**"Oh my God! I need to get out of here. I need to see her. She needs me!"**

"Just...wait a second" Robert instructed, pulling the phone from his ear and offering it to Liv "Put his mind at rest would you?" he chuckled and the girl beamed.

...

**"Robert? What do you mean wait a second? Oy! I don't have a second Rob, this phonecall is on special measures but not that special that you can just leave!"**

"You saying I'm not that special?" Liv asked, sniffling at the sound of her brother's voice.

**"Liv? Sis is that you?"**

"Yeah it's me" she laughed "I'm alright Aaron, you need to calm down, I'm okay, they're letting me go home now" she assured him.

**"I'm so sorry Liv, I should be there with you, I should be looking after you"**

"Robert's looking after me, I promise you I'm okay, it was just an accident, a few cuts and bruises."

Aaron gasped for air, relief filling his lungs as he began to believe his sister really was okay.

**"I love you kid, you know that right"**

"I love you too, come home soon yeah?"

**"I promise I'll be back before you know it...try not to give me anymore heart attacks until then though alright?"**

"I make no promises" Liv teased, handing the phone back to Robert who was sat patiently beside her gnawing his knuckles.

...

"I knew you wouldn't believe anything I said" the blonde explained as he took his phone back.

 **"She's okay"** Aaron breathed, glancing over to the guard who tapped his watch 

"She's alright, I promise you, and I'll keep her safe from now on okay?"

**"I know you will, thankyou, I love you"**

"I love you too...You keep safe as well though? For me?"

**"I will...I have to go now okay? Speak to you soon?"**

"I'll visit next week" Robert promised, before the call was brutally cut short, indicating Aaron's time was up.

The blonde turned to the girl next to him "You ready to go home?" he asked quietly, the sudden absence of Aaron creating a void of silence.  
"Where's Adam?"

Robert checked his phone, noticing a text icon flashing in the top corner, he clicked it, getting to his feet.  
"He's waiting in the car, said he bumped into the nurse on his way back up here and she told him we were on our way out."

Liv nodded, handing over the now completed forms, which she had sorted whilst Robert had spoken to Aaron.

The blonde dropped them back onto the bed and crouched slightly in front of the teen, waiting till their eyes met before he spoke.

"I love you" he told her sincerely "And if anything had happened to you, if you had been seriously hurt then I...I couldn't cope Liv"

The girl smiled at him tearfully, biting down on her lower lip "It's a good job I'm alright then isn't it?" she joked, wiping her eyes with her sleeves.

Robert had tears of his own welling in his eyes as he swiftly pulled her into his arms, his chin resting atop her head as he held her tightly, protectively against his chest.

"Rob?" came the teen's muffled voice a few moments later.

"Yeah?" he asked quietly, pressing a lingering kiss to her head.

"I love you too."

 

 


End file.
